NASA maintains a comprehensive research program using satellites, aircraft and ground resources to observe and analyze fires around the world. The research helps scientists understand how fire affects our environment on local, regional and global scales."

This is nice but does anyone remember the NOAA satellite sensor fiasco from last year? Much of what was being reported was bogus. Not only were degrading sensors unable to measure sea ice trends they were giving temperature readings that showed lake surfaces to be at 400-600F. Most of the crap that NASA does should be handled by competing private companies.

Most of what NASA does is handled by competing private companies. They are the ones that provided the sensors that provide spectacular images, GPS, satcom and many other services that we would still be waiting for without government investment to bootstrap them.

Most of what NASA does is handled by competing private companies. They are the ones that provided the sensors that provide spectacular images, GPS, satcom and many other services that we would still be waiting for without government investment to bootstrap them.

NASA still makes all of the design decisions and runs the projects. That is why most things are as expensive as they are. If there was a competitive system in place the safer and more efficient designs would win out and costs would be lower.

Nope. NASA sets specifications, but the designs belong to the companies.

However there are interdependecies among the subsystems which cause competing requirements. How NASA manages and prioritizes these may require design changes, but that is a long way from controlling the design.

I think there is as much competition as the industry can support. It is pretty esoteric stuff, and not many companies are up to it. A lot of bids come in with profit margins in grocery store territory. There will be serious layoffs if govt cuts back.

Nope. NASA sets specifications, but the designs belong to the companies.

Look at the shuttle. Its unsafe design came from NASA and was the ultimate responsibility of NASA. To top it off, it was a very expensive system. The private sector did much better for a lot less money.